Overland Park / Kansas / United States
In 1927, Freds son, Sam, opened yet another restaurant in Chicago featuring the finest Italian dishes. Over the years, this downtown restaurant became a popular gathering. When Sam retired, his sons moved to the suburbs with a new and timely idea. The year was 1959, and pizza was catching on. The Rosati family saw its potential and realized they had the kind of pizza product that would make the most of that potential - a superb family recipe tried and tested by thousands of Rosati customers. But instead of a full-size restaurant, they would try a small, carryout business. Grandson Al opened the first outlet in suburban Westchester. It was an immediate success. Brothers Dick and Ronald followed suit in Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights, and other family members added units as well. In 1970, Rick Rosati, great grandson of Fred Sr. and the first of three fourth-generation owners opened his own unit. By 1978, a total of ten Rosati family members owned carryout style Rosati P izzas. Then, with the Rosati name firmly established in the Chicago suburbs, the family took another giant step forward. In February, 1979, the family started franchising carryout/delivery stores and the first full-size Rosati Pizza Restaurant opened in Schaumburg, Illinois. Many more locations were opened, both full-size and carryout. By 1993, there were over fifty restaurants in three states.
